Startled awake by a noise at the back of her home, a suburban Detroit woman woke her 74-year-old husband who in turn grabbed his gun and headed towards the sound to find out what was going on.
Getting prepared for the early morning inspection was a smart move, as the homeowner came face-to-face with — and was forced to shoot — an armed intruder.
“The defendant entered the home through a window and had a firearm with him,” Southgate Police Chief Jeff Smith told The Detroit Free Press. “The house was occupied by a man and his wife. He had a legal firearm and confronted the intruder. He ended up shooting him and the defendant died at the scene.”
The identity of the suspect has not been released.
Authorities said that the case is under investigation and that it is up to the local prosecutor to determine if any charges will be filed against the homeowner.
“It’s the prosecutor that gets to decide if they believe it to be justified,” Southgate Public Safety Director Thomas Coombs told The Detroit News. “Based on the information we know presently they would find it was a justified shooting. He was protecting his life.”
“You can, obviously, defend your home if someone comes into your home. The intruder was armed, so, yes, you can defend yourself,” Coombs told WJBK.
“You know, this was good!” Dewey Thompson, who has lived near the couple for more than a decade, told CBS Detroit. “He won’t break into anybody else’s house. That’s the way I feel about it; I don’t care.”